Having therefore a great high priest that hath passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God: let us hold fast our confession.

“For I also, taking my journey, and going forth from the Egypt of this life, came first to the resurrection, which is the true Feast of the Tabernacles, and there having set up my tabernacle, adorned with the fruits of virtue, on the first day of the resurrection, which is the day of judgment, celebrate with Christ the millennium of rest, which is called the seventh day, even the true Sabbath. Then again from thence I, a follower of Jesus, "who hath entered into the heavens"”

“These things indeed (he would say) are sufficient to instruct us. But we have also "a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God." Because he added it, for this reason he went on, "For we have not an High Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities." Therefore he said above, "In that He hath suffered Himself being tempted, He is able to succor them which are tempted." See then how here also he does the same. And what he says is to this effect: He went (he says) the road which we also are going now, or rather even a more rugged one. For He had experience of all human sufferings. He had said above "There is no creature that is not manifest in His sight," intimating His Godhead; then, since he had touched on the flesh, he again discourses more condescendingly, saying (ver. 14), "Having then a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens": and shows that His care is greater and that He protects them as His own, and would not have them fall away. For Moses indeed (he says) did not enter into the rest, while He Christ did enter in. And it is wonderful how he has nowhere stated the same, lest they might seem to find an excuse; he however implied it, but that he might not appear to bring an accusation against the man, he did not say it openly. For if, when none of these things had been said, they yet brought forward these charges, saying, This man hath spoken against Moses and against the law (see Acts xxi. 21, Acts xxi. 28); much more, if he had said, It is not Palestine but Heaven, would they have said stronger things than these. But he attributes not all to the Priest, but requires also what is to come from us, I mean our profession. For "having," he says, "a great High Priest, who is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession" or "confession". What sort of profession does he mean? That there is a Resurrection, that there is a retribution: that there are good things innumerable; that Christ is God, that the Faith is right. These things let us profess, these things let us hold fast. For that they are true, is manifest from the fact, that the High Priest is within. We have not failed of our hopes, let us confess; although the realities are not present, yet let us confess: if already they were present they were but a lie. So that this also is true, that our good things are deferred. For our High Priest also is Great.”

“Above, the Apostle urged us to hasten to enter into the rest of God, and to bring this about he set forth the greatness of Christ as to the divine nature; here he shows the same as to the human nature, and concerning this he does three things. For first he sets forth his dignity; second he shows his compassion, at "for we have not"; third he leads us to have confidence about him, at "let us go therefore." He says then: it has thus been said that we have a word regarding him, who is a living word, a true judge and priest, therefore "having a great high priest." Ps. 109:5: "You are a priest forever," and so on. Not only a priest, but also great. Zach. 3:1: "And the Lord showed me Jesus the great priest, standing before the Angel," and so on. Here, however, he is called great because he is priest not only of temporal goods, but also of goods to come. Below, 9:11: "Christ, standing as high priest of the good things to come," and so on. Two things, however, belonged to the great high priest: one as to office, namely, to enter once a year with blood into the holy of holies, as is found below at 9:7, and Lev. 16:2ff. This, however, belongs especially to Christ. For that priest enters with blood into the figural holy places; but Christ, through his own blood, entered into the holy places, that is, the heavenly sanctuaries. And therefore he says "who has passed through the heavens," that is, entered thoroughly by his own power. The second is that he had to be from a certain tribe, namely from the stock of Aaron, as is said in Ex. 29, and Num. 16 and 17. This, however, applies to Christ, who is of a nobler origin: hence he is called the Son of God. Matt. 3:17: "This is my beloved Son." Ps. 2:7: "You are my son," and so on. Since, therefore, we have this high priest, let us hold fast our confession, that is, let us cling to it with the heart, because, as is said in Rom. 10:10: "With the heart one believes unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." This confession, moreover, Christ the greatest high priest requires of us. Matt. 10:32: "Whoever shall confess me before men," and so on. But he says "of our hope," which can be understood in two ways: in one way, that the confession, as it is taken here, is a confession of faith. Faith, however, is the principle of hope, as is found from the Gloss. Matt. 1:2: "Abraham begot Isaac," that is, faith begot hope — not indeed as to habit, but as to the order of act. For no one can, nor ought to, hope for anything except what he can attain. That we can attain eternal things, we have through faith. Or, a confession of hope, that is, of that which we hope for, namely, to see the first truth. Then, when he says "for we have not a high priest," lest perhaps it be believed that he cannot do anything beyond what his justice requires, he shows that in him there is also mercy and compassion, and these regard misery, and this belongs especially to Christ. Hence he says "who cannot have compassion on our infirmities." It must be known, however, that the term posse ("to be able") sometimes imports not bare power, but the readiness and aptitude of Christ to come to our aid, and this because he knows, through experience, our misery, which, as God, he knew from eternity through simple knowledge. Ps. 102:14: "God is merciful to those who fear him, for he himself has known our frame." Hence he adds "in likeness" — namely, ours — "tempted." There is, moreover, a threefold temptation. One is that which is from the flesh, namely when the flesh lusts against the spirit, as is said in Gal. 5:17. And this is not without sin, because, as Augustine says, it is indeed some sin when the flesh lusts against the spirit, because this is what it is for the flesh to lust. But this was not in Christ. And therefore he says "without sin," that is, without the least movement of sin. 1 Pet. 2:22: "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." And therefore he is called the Lamb of God, John 1:29. Another is the temptation from the enemy and from the world, and this in two ways: either by alluring through prosperous things, or by terrifying through adverse things. And in these two ways Christ was tempted. By prosperous things. For whatever pertains to the prosperity of this life pertains either to the lust of the flesh, or to the lust of the eyes, or to the pride of life. For concerning the first, the Devil tempted him when he tempted him about gluttony, which is the mother of lust. Matt. ch. 4:3: "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." Likewise concerning vainglory, when he says: "Cast yourself down." Likewise concerning the lust of the eyes, saying: "All these things I will give you," and so on. Lk. 4:13: "And when every temptation was finished, the Devil departed from him for a time." Likewise he was tempted through adverse things and snares by the Pharisees, because they wanted to catch him in speech, Matt. 22:15; likewise through insults, Matt. 27:40: "Ah, you who destroy the temple of God," etc.; likewise through scourges and torments. Except, therefore, for the temptation that is with sin, he was tempted in every respect like us. He says, however, "according to the likeness," which can be explained in two ways. In one way, that the word "according to" denotes the final cause, as if he were to say: he was tempted for this reason, that he might give us an example, so that, according to his likeness, we might endure temptation and strive to overcome all things. 1 Pet. 2:21: "Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example," and so on. Or it can denote consequence, as if he were to say: he was tempted for this reason, that in all things, both in temporal matters and in all others, except in sin alone, he might be like us. For if he had been without temptations, he would not have experienced them, and thus would not have compassion. But if he had had sin, he could not have helped us, but would rather have needed help himself. Then, when he says "let us go therefore with confidence," etc., he leads us to have confidence about him, as if he were to say: since he can thus have compassion, let us go with confidence. Is. 12:2: "Behold, God is my savior, I will act with confidence," and so on. Let us go, I say, to the throne. The throne is called the seat of a king; Christ, however, is king. Jer. ch. 23:5: "A king shall reign and shall be wise," and so on. This throne, however, has a twofold state. One of justice, in the future. Ps. 9:4: "You have sat upon the throne, you who judge justice." This will be in the future. Ps. 74:2: "When I shall take a time, I will judge justices." There is another throne, of grace, of which he speaks here. Therefore is added "of his grace," namely in the present, when it is the time of showing mercy. Zach. 4:7: "He shall make grace equal to grace." Through the grace of Christ, however, we are freed from all misery, because we are freed from sin, which makes peoples miserable, Prov. 14:34; and therefore he says "that we may obtain mercy." Likewise, through the grace of Christ we are helped to do good works. And therefore he says "and find grace." Lk. 1:30: "You have found grace with the Lord." And this "in seasonable help," by which we may be helped to work well. Ps. 120:2: "My help is from the Lord"; this help, however, is through grace. 1 Cor. 15:10: "I have labored more abundantly than they; yet not I, but the grace of God with me." This, however, must be at a fitting time; therefore he says "seasonable help." For every business has its time and opportunity. Eccles. ch. 8:6. This is the present time, which is the time of showing mercy.”

“For we have not an high priest,.... That is cruel and unmerciful; the saints have an high priest, but not such an one: which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; such as bodily diseases and wants, persecutions from men, and the temptations of Satan; under all which Christ sympathizes with his people; and which sympathy of his arises from his knowledge and experience of these things, and the share he has had of them, and from that union there is between him and his people: and it is not a bare sympathy, but is attended with his assistance, support, and deliverance; and the consideration of it is of great comfort to the saints: but was in all points tempted like as we are: of the temptations of Christ, and of the saints; see Gill on Heb 2:18. yet without sin; there was no sin in his nature; though he was encompassed about with infirmities, yet not with sinful infirmities, only sinless ones; nor was there any sin in his temptations; though he was solicited to sin by Satan, yet he could find none in him to work upon; nor could he draw him into the commission of any sin.”

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest - It is contended, and very properly, that the particle ουν, which we translate seeing, as if what followed was an immediate inference from what the apostle had been speaking, should be translated now; for the apostle, though he had before mentioned Christ as the High Priest of our profession, Heb 3:1, and as the High Priest who made reconciliation for the sins of the people, Heb 2:17, does not attempt to prove this in any of the preceding chapters, but now enters upon that point, and discusses it at great length to the end of chap. 10. After all, it is possible that this may be a resumption of the discourse from Heb 3:6; the rest of that chapter, and the preceding thirteen verses of this, being considered as a parenthesis. These parts left out, the discourse runs on with perfect connection. It is very likely that the words, here, are spoken to meet an objection of those Jews who wished the Christians of Palestine to apostatize: "You have no tabernacle - no temple - no high priest - no sacrifice for sin. Without these there can be no religion; return therefore to us, who have the perfect temple service appointed - by God." To these he answers: We have a High Priest who is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God; therefore let us hold fast our profession. See on Heb 3:1 (note), to which this verse seems immediately to refer. Three things the apostle professes to prove in this epistle: - 1. That Christ is greater than the angels. 2. That he is greater than Moses. 3. That he is greater than Aaron, and all high priests. The two former arguments, with their applications and illustrations, he has already despatched; and now he enters on the third. See the preface to this epistle. The apostle states, 1. That we have a high priest. 2. That this high priest is Jesus, the Son of God; not a son or descendant of Aaron, nor coming in that way, but in a more transcendent line. 3. Aaron and his successors could only pass into the holy of holies, and that once a year; but our High Priest has passed into the heavens, of which that was only the type. There is an allusion here to the high priest going into the holy of holies on the great day of atonement. 1. He left the congregation of the people. 2. He passed through the veil into the holy place, and was not seen even by the priests. 3. He entered through the second veil into the holy of holies, where was the symbol of the majesty of God. Jesus, our High Priest, 1. Left the people at large. 2. He left his disciples by ascending up through the visible heavens, the clouds, as a veil, screening him from their sight. 3. Having passed through these veils, he went immediately to be our Intercessor: thus he passed ουρανους, the visible or ethereal heavens, into the presence of the Divine Majesty; through the heavens, διεληλυθοτα τους ουρανους, and the empyreum, or heaven of heavens.”

“Seeing then--Having, therefore; resuming Heb 2:17. great--as being "the Son of God, higher than the heavens" (Heb 7:26): the archetype and antitype of the legal high priest. passed into the heavens--rather, "passed through the heavens," namely, those which come between us and God, the aerial heaven, and that above the latter containing the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, &c. These heavens were the veil which our High Priest passed through into the heaven of heavens, the immediate presence of God, just as the Levitical high priest passed through the veil into the Holy of Holies. Neither Moses, nor even Joshua, could bring us into this rest, but Jesus, as our Forerunner, already spiritually, and hereafter in actual presence, body, soul, and spirit, brings His people into the heavenly rest. Jesus--the antitypical Joshua (Heb 4:8). hold fast--the opposite of "let slip" (Heb 2:1); and "fall away" (Heb 6:6). As the genitive follows, the literally, sense is, "Let us take hold of our profession," that is, of the faith and hope which are subjects of our profession and confession. The accusative follows when the sense is "hold fast" [TITTMANN].”